Founded in 1969 as the East L.A. Barrio Free Clinic, AltaMed Health Services Corp. has grown into the largest federally qualified independent community health center in the nation, operating over 68 sites across Southern California.
During the pandemic, like many healthcare providers, AltaMed’s facilities were overwhelmed as patients sought treatment and testing for COVID-19. Now, as the community catches up on preventive care and childhood immunizations, demand has surged once again.
At the height of the pandemic, AltaMed served approximately 650,000 patients. By 2023, that number had risen to 889,000—a 26% increase. Navigating this new landscape has become more challenging due to funding cuts for public health and Medi-Cal redeterminations, leaving some patients uninsured.
Despite these hurdles, AltaMed’s President and CEO, Cástulo de la Rocha, emphasized the organization’s ability to innovate, introducing new programs, services, and partnerships that enhance care in economically disadvantaged areas of Los Angeles. Telehealth remains a key tool for expanding access, alongside the opening of new urgent care centers citywide.
“We’ve launched our first sports medicine clinic, expanded mental health and psychiatry services, opened a cardiology clinic, and introduced programs in urogynecology, maternal fetal medicine, and senior care with AltaMed Plus,” said de la Rocha.
AltaMed’s PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) continues to attract more seniors each year. Additionally, the organization’s new enhanced care management program provides specialized support for patients experiencing homelessness, severe mental illness, and complex health issues.
AltaMed has also grown through strategic acquisitions, including Healthy Smiles for Kids in Orange County and a network of clinics known as the Community Health Alliance of Pasadena (ChapCare). Its managed care services, IPA, and health plan partnerships saw robust growth, driven by increasing membership across Southern California. By 2024, AltaMed’s workforce had grown to around 5,200 employees, many from the communities it serves, with a commitment to a $24 per hour living wage.
One of the most pressing challenges, according to de la Rocha, is the shortage of Latino physicians. “The majority of Medi-Cal patients in California are Latino
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